Elatior Begonia plant named `Blenda`

ABSTRACT

A distinctive cultivar of Elatior Begonia plant named Blenda, characterized by its upright growth habit; compact plant size; freely branching habit; strong stems and stem base; small leaves; dark red flower color; large number of flowers per raceme; small flowers; early and even flowering; and strong and vigorous root system.

The present invention relates to a new and distinctive cultivar of Begonia plant, botanically known as Begonia × hiemalis, commercially known as Elatior Begonia, and referred to by the cultivar name Blenda.

The new cultivar was discovered by the inventor in Aarhus, Denmark, as a mutation of the nonpatented Elatior Begonia cultivar Line, and was observed in a group of 15-cm flowering plants of the parent.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by tip cuttings in Aarhus, Denmark, has shown that the unique features of this new Elatior Begonia are stabilized and are reproduced true to type in successive propagations.

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light level and daylength, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of Blenda. The following characteristics differentiate the new cultivar from the parent cultivar Line and other Elatior Begonias commercially know and used in the floriculture industry, namely the nonpatented cultivar Lissy:

1. Plants of the cultivar Blenda are upright in growth habit. Plants of the cultivars Line and Lissy are upright, but more spreading than plants of Blenda.

2. Plants of the cultivar Blenda are compact. Plants of the cultivar Blenda are less vigorous and shorter than plants of the cultivars Line and Lissy.

3. Plants of the cultivar Blenda do not require pinching to produce full plants as they are freely branching. Plants of the cultivar Blenda are more freely branching than plants of the cultivars Line and Lissy.

4. Plants of the cultivar Blenda have strong stems and stem bases. Plants of the cultivar Blenda have greater stem and stem base strength than plants of the cultivars Line and Lissy.

5. Plants of the cultivar Blenda have small leaves. Plants of the cultivar Blenda have smaller leaves than plants of the cultivars Line and Lissy.

6. Flowers of the cultivar Blenda are dark red in color (Red Group 46A). In comparison, flowers of the cultivars Line and Lissy are lighter red in color (Red Group 43A and 45B, respectively).

7. Plants of the cultivar Blenda have a large number of flowers per raceme. Plants of the cultivar Blenda have more flowers per raceme than plants of the cultivars Line and Lissy.

8. Flowers of the cultivar Blenda are small in diameter. Plants of the cultivar Blenda have smaller flowers than plants of the cultivars Line and Lissy.

9. Plants of the cultivar Blenda flower early. Plants of the cultivar Blenda flower earlier than plants of the cultivars Line and Lissy.

10. Plants of the cultivar Blenda are evenly covered with flowers. Plants of the cultivar Blenda are more evenly covered with flowers than plants of the cultivars Line and Lissy.

11. Plants of the cultivar Blenda have strong and vigorous root systems. Plants of the cultivar Blenda have stronger and more vigorous root systems than plants of the cultivars Line and Lissy.

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance and flower color of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. The actual flower color is darker red than the flower color depicted in the photograph. The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical potted plant of Blenda.

The following observations, measurements, values, and comparisons describe plants grown in Aarhus, Denmark, under commercial practice in a glass-covered greenhouse with day and night temperatures ranging from 19 to 21C. Depending on a cloud cover, light levels ranged from 5,000 to 35,000 lux.

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Begonia × hiemalis cultivar Blenda.

Commercial classification: Elatior Begonia.

Parentage: Naturally-occurring mutation of Begonia × hiemalis cultivar Line.

Propagation:

A. Type.--By tip cuttings.

B. Time to initiate roots.--Tip cuttings root in 17 to 21 days at temperatures of 21C.

C. Rooting habit.--Root system is very strong and develops rapidly. Roots are prolific and dense. Roots are fine and fibrous in texture.

Plant description:

A. Plant form.--Upright and spreading potted plant, freely branching with good stem and stem base strength. Flowers are fully double and abundant. Plants flower continuously under warm (higher than 18C) night temperatures.

B. Growth habit.--Moderate growth rate and vigor. Compact in plant habit with short internodes. Suitable for 10 to 15-cm containers. Under optimal environmental conditions, 10 to 12 weeks are required to produce proportional 12.5-cm potted plants (approximately 20 cm in height) from tip cuttings that are directly-stuck in the container. Vegetative shoots are formed at basal nodes and flowering shoots are formed at upper nodes.

C. Foliage and stem description.--1. Leaf arrangement: Simple, alternate. 2. Quantity of leaves: 20 to 30 per 12.5-cm potted plant. 3. Leaf length: 4.5 to 8 cm. 4. Leaf width: 5.5 to 8 cm. 5. Leaf shape: Cordate. 6. Leaf tip: Acute. 7. Leaf base: Obtuse. 8. Leaf margin: Serrate. 9. Leaf texture: a. Upper side: Smooth, leathery, glabrous. b. Under side: Leathery, sparsely pubescent. 10. Leaf color: a. Young foliage, upper side: 137B. b. Young foliage, under side: 139C. c. Mature foliage, upper side: 137A. d. Mature foliage, under side: 139C. 11. Leaf attachment: Stalked. 12. Petiole length: 1 to 1.2 cm. 13. Petiole diameter: 4 to 5 mm. 14. Petiole color: 139C. 15. Venation pattern: Palmate, smooth on upper side, raised on under side. 16. Venation color: a. Upper side: 139C. b. Under side: 139D. 17. Stem color: 139C. 18. Stem strength: Very strong. 19. Stem base strength: Very strong.

Flowering description:

A. Flowering habit.--Flowers arranged in racemes. Many racemes in flower simultaneously. Flowering continuous under warm (higher than 18C) night temperatures.

B. Natural flowering season.--Plants will flower year around regardless of daylength, however plants will flower earlier and more abundantly if daylength is 12 hours or less.

C. Quantity of flowers.--Six to 8 flowers per raceme, up to 50 flowers at various stages of development may be present per 12.5-cm pot.

D. Flowers.--1. Shape: Circular. 2. Diameter: 2.5 to 4 cm. 3. Height: 1.5 to 1.7 cm.

E. Peduncle.--1. Length: 1 to 1.2 cm. 2. Diameter: 2.7 mm. 3. Color: 46B. 4. Aspect: Erect. 5. Texture: Glabrous.

F. Flower bud.--1. Shape: Ovoid. 2. Diameter: 0.5 cm. 3. Length: 0.5 cm. 4. Rate of opening: 3 to 5 days. 5. Color: 49C.

G. Tepals.--1. Arrangement: Rosette. 2. Shape: Flat, rounded. 3. Quantity per flower: 8 to 20. 4. Length: 1.5 to 2 cm. 5. Width: 1.5 to 2 cm. 6. Color: a. When opening: 46A. b. Fully open: (1) Upper side: 46A. (2) Under side: 46C. c. Fading to: 46C. 7. Margin: Entire. 8. Texture: Smooth, velvety, glabrous.

H. Sepals.--1. Arrangement: Opposite. 2. Shape: Oval. 3. Quantity per flower: 2. 4. Length: 1.1 cm. 5. Width: 1.2 cm. 6. Color: a. Upper side: 139C. b. Under side: 139C. 7. Tip: Rounded, slightly pointed. 8. Margin: Entire. 9. Texture: Thin, transparent.

I. Reproductive organs.--1. Stamens: None. 2. Pistils: None.

Postproduction longevity:

A. Individual flowers.--Generally 2 to 3 weeks.

B. Whole plants.--Generally more than 6 weeks under interior conditions.

Disease resistance: Plants of the cultivar Blenda are resistant to Powdery Mildew. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Elatior Begonia plant named Blenda, as illustrated and described. 